If you have ever tried to upload a video to YouTube, you know that if you try to upload it with a popular song woven into it, that it may be muted, or demonetized. Let’s say you upload a video of you and your friends and a licensed song is playing in the background. Even then, the video can be muted or demonetized. This has often been a point of frustration for creators; who are only trying to add color and value to their content.
YouTube is now offering a new pathway for users to bring in licensed music to their long form videos. The program is called ‘Creator Music’; and it will allow creators to select from an expansive catalog of popular music to use in their videos without the dreaded demonetization or mute.
Youtube has made deals with many labels, publishers, and distributors to agree to this; (although some big players like UMG, WMG, and Sony are still saying no). And while the system is still in beta in the States, it will expand to other countries next year. The net result will give creators more leeway on the platform.
Creators can either choose to license the music and keep 55% of their revenue; or share revenue with the music license holders. Most serious users simply use royalty free music.
“Creators have told us–time and time again–that finding the right song isn’t the hard part. It’s actually figuring out how to license it,” shares Amjad Hanif, VP of Creator Products at YouTube.